Leonard Cohen's Portrait - National Portrait Gallery, London

[bridger15]

by Venetia Dearden
Giclée print, 2008
23 1/2 in. x 18 3/8 in. (598 mm x 468 mm) image size
Purchased, 2009
NPG x134366

I came across this outstanding portrait of LC sporting his Melodrama fedora, which hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in London.
What an honour!

From the NPG website

Founded in 1856, the aim of the National Portrait Gallery, London is ‘to promote through the medium of portraits the appreciation and understanding of the men and women who have made and are making British history and culture, and ... to promote the appreciation and understanding of portraiture in all media’.

The Gallery holds the most extensive collection of portraits in the world. The Collection is displayed in London and in a number of locations around the United Kingdom, including several houses managed by the National Trust...

"Mordy" posted about LC's portrait at the NPG on a Glastonbury thread. viewtopic.php?f=3&t=23046&p=250156&hili ... ry#p250156
However, the link there is not working. So I am posting the portrait here.

I was surprised to see LC holding a glass with what looks like white wine. I just don't associate LC and white wine.
I recall his answer in an interview about how he stopped drinking, "I lost my taste for it".

http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/searc ... =sit&rNo=0
http://www.npg.org.uk/about/organisation.php

---Arlene

[John Etherington]

Great find, and good observation about the white wine. I can't imagaine Leonard staying off the red, though!

[LisaLCFan]

Wow! Great picture! Leonard is looking particularly cool and dapper! And, at the National Portrait Gallery, no less! Awesome!

[Mordy]

Excellent - I'm going to be in central London on Monday, so I'll pop in to the NPG (probably my favourite gallery) and pay my respects!

[hydriot]

I recall his answer in an interview about how he stopped drinking, "I lost my taste for it".

Well, he didn't, really, did he?

See 8:37 here, posted in 2007: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGwpNXNvB6o . Red wine, of course.

Lorca is of course a lovely lady, but she certainly doesn't know how to cook asparagus. Never ever boil it. If you do, much of the flavour ends up in the water. Steam, steam, steam asparagus! It's the only way. (I'd avoid a vinaigrette, and just serve asparagus with melted butter, but a chacun son gout ).

[somewhat_nifty]

Well I went to the gallery on Friday lunchtime as it's very near where I work, and sadly this lovely pic is not on display yet. Perhaps it's too recent an acquisition. I will monitor the situation!

[bridger15]

Well I went to the gallery on Friday lunchtime as it's very near where I work, and sadly this lovely pic is not on display yet.
Perhaps it's too recent an acquisition. I will monitor the situation!

According to their website, the LC portrait was purchased in 2009.
Did you make any enquiries when you were there? ---Arlene

[somewhat_nifty]

Hi Arlene - no I didn't ask if it was out, but they only have a smallish contemporary portrait section and it definitely wasn't in it. I think they have to rotate the pictures as I imagine they have many more than they can exhibit. They tend to do themed exhibitions - I went to one recently on 'swinging London' that had famous figures from 60s London, so I imagine that next time they have a music/poetry/singer-songwriter exhibition or similar they will show it. They have some loose collection of 'Great Britons' at the moment, so no room for LC in that.

Ruth

[Mordy]

No, it certainly wasn't in any of ground floor galleries when I popped in last week. Didn't have time to look any further though. I guess that reference - Photographs Collection NPGx134366 - gives an idea of how many works the NPG holds. And that's just the photographs - there's paintings as well. They do change some of the works in the ground floor galleries from time to time in addition to the specific themed exhibitions. (And to think, there's currently a room devoted to photographs of 'artist' Sarah Lucas - oh dear!!!! - sorry, going off-topic!)

[bridger15]

Thanks for the updates, Mordy and Ruth.

How about a few suggestions:

1. Ask for a private viewing away from the exhibition du jour. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

2. Speak to your MP about this. Your taxes do support that venerable institution. You have rights.

3. WHEN/if LC comes back to London for a concert, organize a call-in / email campaign to inform them of his arrival and suggest a viewing of LC's portrait would be timely and should be made available to the public.

As they say, "squeeky wheel...". Surely from the 200,000 angels on the Forum, even 200 of our voices would make for a thunderous request they could not deny.

---Arlene

ps. re #3. Purely self interest. I am hoping to cross the pond for more concerts.

[somewhat_nifty]

Wow Arlene, you're much more proactive than I would dream of being! I am definitely down with suggestion 3) - when (not if ) LC tours again, I will request it be put on display

[Goldin]

No mentions on the Forum - so, I'm continuing the theme of Cohen's portraits in galleries of the UK.

This one was already described by DrHGuy: http://1heckofaguy.com/2010/06/30/leona ... anne-vega/

St Paul's Gallery, Birmingham
Leonard Cohen and Suzanne Vega, photograph by Deborah Feingold 1989.
(uploaded by Bob Hall @ Flickr)

It's time to start LC English Museums Guide project, I guess

[MaryB]

Roman,

Thank you for this link - that photo is ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!!!

Best regards,
Mary

[Cheshire gal]

Thanks from me too Roman. That photo is marvellous.

[sebmelmoth2003]

re bridger15's number one suggestion.
----
How can I see a portrait not on display?

Those wishing to see paintings and other portraits in the Primary Collection not on display, or to consult the records of the collection, should contact Tim Moreton, Collections Manager in writing. Normally items not on display can readily be made available for viewing.

tmoreton@npg.org.uk

http://www.npg.org.uk/about/FAQ/how-can ... isplay.php